Liver Function Testing Is Not Useful in the Diagnosis of Sarcoidosis in Patients Presenting with Uveitis.

PURPOSE: To elucidate the usefulness of abnormal liver function tests in the diagnosis of sarcoidosis in patients presenting with ocular inflammation.

METHODS

Retrospective comparison of sample populations of 100 patients each with sarcoidosis-associated uveitis (SAU) and non-sarcoid uveitis controls.

RESULTS

Number of abnormal results between SAU and control groups were: (1) raised alkaline phosphatase 6:2; (2) raised alanine aminotransferase 21:19; (3) raised total protein 14:5; (4) hypoalbuminemia 0:7; (5) raised bilirubin 1:2. The only parameters reaching statistical significance were in (3), using any elevated result; and (4), the greater risk being in controls.

CONCLUSIONS

There is no evidence that abnormal liver function tests are an indicator of sarcoidosis in new patients presenting with uveitis.